An important forum to help us unravel some of the mysteries of the brain, particularly in relation to mental illness, will be held in Fremantle this Friday and Saturday.
World In A Brainstorm will bring together scientists, brain researchers and mental health experts.
The aim of the forum is to help us be better equipped to understand and help those affected by mental illness in our community.
Speakers include WA Premier Geoff Gallop, who’s had his own challenges with mental illness and who continues to advocate for improvements to Australia’s mental health care system, and Emeritus Professor Alan Harvey on the power of music to help heal the mind.
Swiss professor Isabelle Mansuy, a childhood trauma specialist, is also a speaker.
The forum is the brainchild of Maria Halphen, founder of non-profit organisation Meeting For Minds.
Maria chats to The Starfish:
What do you want to achieve by staging an event like this?
We hope to bring the best minds in cutting edge brain and behavioural science research together, along with People with Lived Experience and other interested members of society, such as health workers, police and students to share, listen and brainstorm. We’re hoping to achieve innovative insights, new experiences, connections and opportunities to help improve the lives of those living with serious mental health conditions.
Who in particular can benefit from attending?
Anyone with an interest in the way mental health challenges impact on individuals and society, and particularly those who get excited by the hope that scientific research provides!
What do you hope we can learn from this?
We hope that we all can learn that getting experts and interested parties together in a somewhat unconventional forum can lead to innovation and help us achieve the positive outcomes that we all want to see in mental health lived experience.
Is it a chance to learn about cutting edge research into mental health, affecting us all?
It absolutely is!
Who are some noteworthy speakers attending?
Hermona Sureq, Ian Hickie, Alan Harvey, Isabel Mansuy among others (please see program worldinabrainstorm.com)
This forum must have taken a lot of organising?
Yes!! We have a great team comprised of staff and volunteers who have been focusing seriously on this for nearly a year.
How long has M4M been going now?
Meeting for Minds has been going since 2013 and has continuously grown and evolved as opportunities have presented themselves.
Meeting for Minds World in a Brainstorm Forum is on line as well as face to face. Please see attached below link.
